Gem And The Heylin
by Georgina of Dragons
Summary: Jade, a young woman who dreams of adventure. Chase, a prince trapped by a curse. Will they learn to love each other?, and how easy will it be?
1. Prologue

_**Prologue: A Cursed Prince Named Chase:**_

**Iroh (Avatar)V/O: **_Many years ago in the land of Fandom, there was a young prince who lived in a shining palace deep in the woods. Although he had everything he could ever ask for, the prince was cruel, selfish and unkind._

_But then one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the palace and offered him a single panda lily in return for one night's shelter from the cold and bitter wind. Disgusted by the woman's haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away. But she warned him that it was not wise to be deceived by appearances, for as cliché as it sounds, beauty really is found within._

_And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress known as the legendary Sailor Cosmos. The prince tried all he could to apologise, but it was too late for she had seen that there was no love in his heart. And as punishment she transformed him into a hideous heylin, and placed a powerful spell on the palace, and all who lived there trapping them in time, among other things._

_Ashamed of the monster that he had become, the heylin concealed himself inside his palace, with the Sheng Gon Wu known as the Prism of the Seers as his only window to the outside world. The lily she had offered him was truly an enchanted flower, which would bloom for 1000 years. If he could learn to love another and earn her love in return by the time the lily completely withered and died, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a monster for all time._

_As the years past, any hope of the curse being lifted grew dimmer and dimmer. One by one the servants lost all hope, though no one in the palace was filled with more woe than the heylin prince. For who in any other millennia could ever love a heylin?._

_**Gem and the Heylin**_


	2. That Jade!

_**A/N: **Because I forgot to mention this in the previous chapter, I do not own any of the books/comics/films/TV shows/etc. that make appearances or are referenced in this fan fiction. All I am is a eccentric fan girl from England with a little too much time on her hands. Please enjoy this and don't sue. Honestly, you are not going to get that much money from me anyway:_

**Chapter One: A Bored Beauty Named Jade:**

Many years had past and the people that long forgotten about their cursed ruler. There were the odd whispers about a monster that lurked in the woods among the children and around the campfires, but no one gave them with any more credibility than they did any other old wives tale.

However, one small village that existed on the edge of the forest would soon find out just how true the tale was.

**999 Years Later:**

One morning, in a village that lay on the edge of the forest, a young Chinese woman of 19 years left the house that she had lived in for some time now and began to make her way towards the village book shop. She had shoulder-length black hair worn loose, golden eyes and a slight athletic build and wore a yellow top with an orange jacket, dark green trousers with a light green belt and orange trainers and was carrying a small dark green bag. Her name was Jade Chan.

She made her way across the bridge, watching a flock of pigeons flying in the sky as she did so and then, as what seems to be the custom for these types of stories, she started to sing.

_{sigh} This little town, such a quiet village_  
_Day after day, just like the one before_  
_Little town, full of little people_  
_Now waking up to say..._

As if on cue, the villagers woke up to say hello to one another in a strange sort of chorus and go about their daily routine. As Jade walked further into town, she spotted Mario and Luigi carrying trays with loaves of bread on them.

_Look, there are the bakers with their tray like always_  
_The same old bread and rolls to sell_  
_Every morning exactly the same_  
_As the morning that we came_  
_To this poor provincial town_

"Good morning, Jade" greeted Mario, as he and Luigi walked to the bakery.

"Hey, Mario" replied Jade "hey, Luigi"

"Morning, Jade" said Luigi "Where are you off to?"

"The bookshop, I have just finished this amazing story! About an angel and a demon who-"

"Yeah, yeah. That's nice" interrupted Mario "Hey, Toad! Come on, hurry up!" "Well, you're not the one who has to deal with Yoshi eating all the bread, Mario. Sheesh!" responded the anthropomorphic toadstool from within the bakery. Jade just shrugged and resumed her walk to the bookshop, trying to ignore the looks the townspeople were giving her.

**Bra (Dragon Ball GT) and Clover:**

_Look, there she goes_  
_That girl is strange without a question_  
_Dazed and distracted, can't you just tell?_

**Miss Piggy:**

_Never part of any crowd_

**Zolo:**

_Cause her head's above some cloud_

**Everyone but Jade:**

_There's no denying that she's one funny girl, that Jade!_

Jade then jumped in the back of a cart driven by a grey rabbit named Bugs Bunny.

**Bugs:**

_What's up, doc?_

**Meg Griffin:**

_Hi there!  
_**Bugs:**

_How is your family?_

We now see Jake Long talking to Juniper Lee while Rose is standing nearby, looking at him with a look of intense rage on her face.

**June:**

_Hello  
_**Jake:**

_What's up?  
_**June:**

_How is your life?  
_  
Rose punched him in the arm, and we cut to Princess Morbucks standing outside of a clothes store along with Mr Harriman, who looked like he would have rather been anywhere else on the planet then spend another second with her.

**Morbucks:**

_I want that new dress!  
_**Mr Harriman:**

_{sigh} That's two expensive  
_**Jade:**

_I've had enough of this dull boring life!_

As soon as the cart was in front of the bookshop, Jade jumped off and went inside. She was soon greeted by the owner, an old man wearing red robes, with his hair in a topknot and his beard neatly trimmed.

"Ah, Jade" said the old man.

"Morning, Iroh. I've come to return the book I've borrowed" said Jade as she reached into her bag and handed him a copy of _Good Omens._

"Finished already?" Iroh asked.

"Yeah, I just couldn't put it down! Have anything new? Jade asked, while she went off to search for more books. Iroh just chuckled and replied "Not since yesterday"

"That's all right" Jade shrugged "I'll just borrow this one" she then handed him the book she wanted. The cover was simplistic, just a red background with a black rose. The lettering, which was black to match, said _Beauty and the Beast._

"That one? But you've already read it twice!" Iroh grinned.

"Well, it's my favourite. Far off places, daring sword fights, magic spells and a prince in disguise" said Jade.

"If you like it so much, then it's yours" Iroh smiled as he gave her the book.

"But, Iro-" replied Jade.

"I insist" Iroh said.

"Thanks, Iroh. See you later" she said happily as she left the shop and went on her way, as three young men named Tom, Dick and Larry (Dover Boys cartoon) look on.

**Tom, Dick and Larry:**  
_Look, there she goes_  
_That girl is so peculiar_  
_I wonder if she's feeling well_

**Chi-Chi:**  
_With a dreamy far-off look_  
**Goku:**  
_And her nose stuck in a book_  
**Everyone:**  
_What a puzzle to the rest of us_  
_That Jade_  
**Jade:**  
_Oh, this is just amazing_  
_I'm at my favourite part_  
_Because, you'll see_  
_Here's where she meets Prince Charming_  
_But she won't discover that it's him till chapter three_

Jade then made her way past a red headed girl named Candace who was chatting with her friend Staci.

**Candace:**  
_Now it's no doubt that she is this great beauty_  
_Her looks have got no parallel_  
**Staci:**  
_Yeah, but behind that fair facade_  
_I'm afraid she's just plain odd_  
_Very different from the rest of us_  
**Everyone but Jade:**  
_She's nothing like the rest of us_  
_Too different from the rest of us is Jade_

A flock of pigeons flew nearby, completely oblivious to what was going on in the town below. Until one of them was shot down by a blast of red energy and sent falling to the ground. A reddish brown cockroach with green eyes wearing a purple cape with silver stars named Carl ran over with a brown bag to catch the falling bird, only to miss.

"Not again" he groaned before putting the dead bird in the bag. Carl then ran to a man wielding a silver staff with a red sky crystal in it. He was one of those men that would be best described as tall, dark (though in this case the hair was closer to a very dark purple rather than the usual pure black) and very handsome. This was the Dark Ace, a man who was well regarded in this town and revelled in that fact.

"Wow you didn't miss a shot, Dark Ace! You're the greatest hunter in the whole world!" said Carl.

"I know" Dark Ace said smugly.

"You know, I don't think that there is any beast alive or dead who would stand a chance against you" the cockroach said. "Or any girl, for that matter."

"It's true, Carl. And I have my sights set on that one" Dark Ace pointed to Jade.

"You mean that girl who lives with..." Carl asked

"She's the one! That's the lucky girl I am going to marry."

"Yeah, but she's..."

"The most beautiful girl in town."

"I know, but..." Carl would have said more, but then he was bumped on the head Dark Ace's staff.

"That makes her the best" he then grabs Carl by the cape and glared at him "and don't I deserve the best?"

"Well, of course. I mean you do, but..." Dark Ace dropped Carl and started to sing.

**Dark Ace:**  
_Right from the moment when I met her, saw her_  
_I said "She's gorgeous" and I caved_  
_In this town there's only she_  
_Who's as beautiful as me_  
_I'm already making plans to woo and marry Jade_

He then sees Jade go towards the market and follows her, while Bonnie, Mandy (Totally Spies) and Daphne look on in awe.

**Bonnie, Mandy and Daphne:**  
_Look there he goes, isn't he dreamy_  
_Our dear Dark Ace, he's just so cute_  
_Beat still my heart, I'm barely breathing_  
_He's such a tall dark strong and handsome brute!_  
**Spongebob:**  
_Hello!_  
**Dark Ace:**  
_Get away!_  
**Jade:**  
_Hi, Mona_  
**Mona (Wario Ware):**  
_Hey, Jade_  
**Marge:**  
_How old is the baco-_  
**Apu:**  
_Check out these grapes!_  
**Stan:**  
_Some cheese_  
**Francine:**  
_Ten yards!_  
**Stan:**  
_One pound_  
**Dark Ace:**  
_'Scuse me_  
**Brian:**  
_{sigh} I'll get the knife_  
**Dark Ace:**  
_Please let me through!_  
**Frankie:**  
_This bread-_  
**Lois:**  
_Those fish-_  
**Frankie:**  
_It's stale!_  
**Lois:**  
_They smell!_  
**Apu:**  
_Madame's mistaken_  
**Jade:**  
_I'm just so bored with this provincial life!_  
**Dark Ace:**  
_Just wait, soon I will make Jade my wife!_  
**Everyone apart from Jade:**  
_Look, there she goes_  
_A girl who is strange but special_  
_Such a strange one, we have often said_  
_It's a pity and a sin that she doesn't quite fit in_  
_For she really is a funny girl_  
_A beauty but a funny girl_  
_Yes, she really is a funny girl_  
_That Jade_  
_Hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello_

And just like that, the song and dance number ended as suddenly as it started. Everyone just went back to what they were previously doing, with a few even muttering something along the lines of "let's never speak of this again".

"Well, at least something happened in this town." said Jade as she returned to her book, until she was interrupted by Dark Ace and Carl.

"Hello, Jade"

"Morning, Dark Ace" replied Jade, before Carl took the book from her. "Um, may I have my book, please?"

"Well, how can you read this? There's no pictures!" the cockroach commented as he opened the book and looked at the pages.

"Ever heard of an imagination, Carl?" said Jade.

Dark Ace then took the book off Carl and had a look through the book himself "Another fantasy book? I had thought that you would have grown out of those by now"

"I happen to like the fantastic, Ace." she replied.

"Jade, I think it's about time that you got your head out of your books" Dark Ace said as he tossed the book to the nearest puddle of mud "and paid attention to more important things". Jade walked over to the mud puddle to retrieve her book while Bonnie, Mandy and Daphne gazed at Dark Ace as if he was god on earth.

"Like you?" Jade said as she cleaned her book.

"Exactly. What do you say you and me take a stroll to the tavern and look at my trophies?" He asked as he put his arm around her.

"Maybe some other time." Jade replied as she took it off, which lead to the three fan girls gasping as if she had committed a terrible sin.

"What is wrong with her?" Bonnie asked Mandy. "What do you think? That girl is just crazy!" answered Mandy. Daphne just swooned and said "He's gorgeous."

"Sorry, I can't go. I really have to get home and help my uncles, bye." said Jade.

Carl chuckled "Yeah, those crazy old loons need all the help they can get." He then just started laughing his head off and it wasn't too long before Dark Ace joined in.

"Don't you dare talk about my uncles that way!" Jade glared at them.

"Yeah, how dare you talk about her uncles that way!" Dark Ace bonked Carl on the head, though it was palpable that he still shared the cockroach's amusement.

"My uncles are not crazy, they're brilliant!" She said, until she heard an explosion coming from her house. She ran back home, as the town hero and the cockroach continued to laugh their heads off. When he finally regained his composure, Dark Ace uttered one simple oath: "Mark my words, Jade Chan. You will be mine."

**TBC**


	3. Into the Woods

**Chapter Two: Into The Woods:**

Jade ran to the front door of her cottage and opened the door, smoke bellowing out. She rushed inside to see what was the matter. She stopped as soon as she reached the study, which at this point looked as if a bomb had gone off in that very room. Not that that was very far from the truth, given the clutter strewn across the place, the black marks that marked the walls and the massive hole in the roof.

There were three men in the room at that point in time and seeing them (even admist all the chaos) was a comfort to the young woman. The first was her uncle Jackie (who was currently picking up and sorting out any and all loose papers he could find), her long time friend Torhu (who was sweeping up some rubbish and putting it into a nearby bin) and her other uncle (is he?) simply called Uncle (who was currently leafing through a book on a nearby desk).

"Ai-yah! It clearly says here "Absolutley no substitutions!"" said Uncle "How could I have missed that?"

"Jackie, Torhu, Uncle?" Jade said in between coughs.

"Hi, Jade" said Jackie.

"Hi, Jade" said Torhu.

"Uncle, what happened?" she asked.

"My instincts tell me that something very strange and dangerous is about to happen, as they have many times before". Jade, Jackie and Torhu nodded remembering the many strange things they had seen and how their adventures had ended. When they thought about the day they and several allies and enemies had managed to trap Shendu and Drago in the dark dimension all those years ago, their thoughts ranged from feeling relieved that they finally that some change at a normal life (as was the case with Jackie and Torhu) to bored at the fact that things had returned to a quiet monotony (as was the case with Jade).

"That being said, I thought it would be best to cast a protection spell for safe keeping. Sadly, we are out of decent ingredients and the spell will expect no subtitutions" he continued. "Torhu!"

"Yes, sensei?" he responded.

"We have to make a list of the nessacary ingredients, at once!" Uncle and Torhu then left to make the required list, as Jackie turned to Jade.

"So, did you have a good day in town?" he asked.

"I got a new book. Well, new-ish" Jade said with a chuckle. She then let out a sigh before asking "Jackie, do you think I'm odd?"

"My niece odd? Raising you was...interesting, but I would'nt call you odd. Where would you get an idea like that?"

"Oh, I don't know. It's just that everyone talks about me, about you, about Uncle and Torhu. I'm not sure if I fit in here. Except for you three, there's now one I can really talk to" she said.

"What about that Dark Ace? He's a handsome fellow" said Jackie.

"Yes, he is handsome. And annoying, rude, concieted and-oh, Jackie, he's not for me" Jade sat down, feeling upset. Jackie sat down with her and gave her a hug.

"Jackie, Jade! Hurry up, we have to get our ingredients!" Uncle called out.

They did not hesitate a moment longer. They got themselves ready and arranged for their usual house sitters, The Simpsons, to watch the house for them while they were away. Usually, they would take their car into the woods to get whatever magical supplies they needed from the forest. But their car was being taken in for repairs at the moment, so they opted to take the bus instead. Little did they know how much that would change things. All for the want of a nail.


	4. The Woeful Wedding

** Chapter Three: The Woeful Wedding:**

Sometime later, Dark Ace and Carl were standing outside Jade's house in anticipation for the plan they had in mind to come to fruition. Dark Ace was dressed in his finest dinner suit (A/N: or just a tuxedo for the Americans in the the audience) with a red tie and black shoes, while Carl was wearing a bow tie and a solid, dark purple cape.

"Any minute now, Jade is going to get the surprise of her life. Huh, Ace?" asked Carl.

"Yes, this is her lucky day" the taller of the two replied. He picked up his staff, which he had set against a nearby tree, smacked Carl on the head and made his way towards the handsomely attired and lavishly decorated (bordering on tacky) wedding party.

"I'd like to thank you all for coming to my wedding on this glorious day. But first I must go indoors and propose to the girl" Dark Ace said with a chuckle, as the entire wedding party joined in. Well, apart from the fan girl trio of Bonnie, Mandy and Daphne. They were standing near the cake, crying their eyes out over the fact that they had lost their chance with their idol. He then turned to Carl, who was at this point rubbing his head.

"And you, Carl. The instant Jade comes out that door..." said Dark Ace.

"Oh, oh, I know. I'll strike up the band!" Carl then picks up a baton and begins to lead the band in an energetic rendition of _The Wedding March_. And he rather enjoyed it, before being interrupted by Dark Ace grabbing a tuba and slamming it on his head. "Not yet, idiot!" he said.

"Sorry" Carl muttered, as Dark Ace made his way to the front door. He gently knocked upon it, a proud smirk creeping its way onto his features as he thought about his plan coming to fruition. A rustic lodge, his latest kill roasting on the fire, plus his little wife massaging his feet as the six or seven little ones (mainly boys) play on the floor with the dogs. _"Any moment now" _he thought, "_Any moment now". _The door started to open and Dark Ace made the cue to the band to resume playing their song.

The thoughts of the future, the smirk and the music quickly faded as soon as the figure fully stepped outside. The figure was a woman in her mid thirties of slim build and average height, with bright yellow skin and hazel eyes. Her cobalt blue, improbably tall beehive brushed the door frame as she made her way out and she wore a strapless green dress, reddish-orange shoes and a pearl necklace of the same hue.

"What in the-? What is the meaning of all this?" She exclaimed at the sight of the elaborate wedding party that was now in the garden and the smartly dressed, dark haired man that was standing before her.

Dark Ace blinked twice before regaining his composure and responding to her. "Mrs Simpson, I thought I'd stop bye and request Jade Chan's hand in marriage. And for that matter, what are you doing here?"

Marge folded her arms as she answered his question. "Well, you should know by now that Jade, her uncles and their friend Torhu keep taking trips to the forest to get supplies for their magic."

Dark Ace turned around and muttered to Carl "You could have said something earlier, you miserable little-!" He then cleared his throat and turned back to Marge. "Well, maybe if we all just waited until she and her family returned home and continued where we left off-"

"Actually, I would rather you and everyone here leave right now and forget about this whole thing!" she said, her brow furrowed and her voice taking on a harsher edge. Truth be told, Jade was not the only person in the village who had gotten sick of Dark Ace.

"Blast off!" cried out the voice of Marge's young son, Bart, who ran downstairs dressed in his usual red top, blue shorts and blue shoes. He then fried off his slingshot at Dark Ace's head, the huge pebble he used as a missile sending him tumbling into a nearby puddle of mud. Carl then walked over to Dark Ace, who was sending him a death glare.

"So, did you get me any postcards from your trip?" He barely had any time to laugh at his own joke before his taller companion grabbed him by his cape.

"This was all a minor setback. I _will _have Jade as my wife, make no mistake about that!" Dark Ace then dropped Carl in the mud, picked himself off and stormed off.

"Touchy" was all Carl could say in regards to this situation. Bart nodded in agreement while Marge simply murmured. Something told her that this was going to get worse before it got any better.


	5. A Fork In The Road

**Chapter Four: A Fork in The Road:**

**Two Days Later:  
**

Jade, Jackie, Uncle and Torhu were sitting in their seats on the bus, gazing out of the windows of the vehicle. They had gone to the apothecary that they usually went to, gotten what they needed and were supposed to have arrived home by now. However they were still stuck in the forest and at this point it was like they were just going in circles.

"Ai-ya! This is infuriating" cried Uncle "We should be home by now!"

"Maybe the driver missed a turn" said Torhu.

"That wouldn't surprise me! That idiot has been smoking those herbs the whole time we have been out! As soon as our car is fixed, I am going to make sure we never get on a bus with him driving it again" the older man responded. Jade, who at this point was resting her chin on her left hand, gazing out one of the bus windows with a very bored look on her face, simply said "I'm with you there, Uncle"

"Wait a minute, dudes" the bus driver (a man named Otto) said as he temporarily stopped the vehicle at a fork in the road. He then looked at two signs pointing left and right, the words long since rendered illegible with age. He looked at the path on the left which seemed dark and fraught with peril, then the path on the right with looked safer and seemed more cheerful. But given what he had been smoking for most of the time he had been in control of the bus, he saw the former as a psychedelic vision with bright colours and everything smiling and singing and he saw the later as an unbearably dark and bleak place where the trees were not only animate, but looked ready to devour the bus and everyone inside. He started the bus again and proceeded to go down the path on the left.

"What the ****?", "What are you doing?", "Are you trying to kill us?" and "What is wrong with you?" were the responses that Jade, Jackie, Uncle and Torhu respectively gave to this decision.

"Come on, it's a shortcut. You'll be home in no time" said Otto. "I doubt it" replied Jade as she rolled her eyes, her uncles and her friend silently agreeing with her.

Otto drove slowly and stared at the bare branches on the trees and the full moon hanging in the sky. He continued driving, but then he heard a sound and started to get very nervous. Upon hearing the sound, the passengers each shot him a death glare. "On second thought, maybe this was a bad idea" he said with a forced chuckle.

"You think?" proclaimed Jade. Jackie was the next to speak up, saying simply "Where have you taken us?"

"We better turn around" said Otto, who was getting more and more terrified as the seconds passed. In his terror, he crashed into a large tree. A swarm of bats flew out of the tree and he ran out of the bus, with Jade, Jackie, Uncle and Torhu following suit. He then turned to them, said "You're on your own" and ran off screaming, while his former passengers could do nothing but stare in disbelief.

"Marvelous" said Uncle, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "First we get lost on our way home, then our driver crashes the bus and runs off. How could this day get any worse?". Suddenly, the group heard the sound of animals growling behind them. They turned around to find the source of the noise and were greeted by a pack of ferocious wolves eying them hungrily.

"I really wished that you hadn't said that" said Jade. That was the last thing any of the four said before they started to run as fast as their legs could carry them, the wolves in hot pursuit and Jackie and his niece screaming "Bad day, bad day, bad day, bad day!" at the top of their lungs. They ran for as long as they could until they were at the gates of a palace. With only a moments hesitation, they ran to the gate and started shaking it wildly. They wasted no time in yelling for help or desperately calling out to whoever lived in the palace. Within a short amount of time the gate opened and Jade, Jackie, Uncle and Torhu ran through, Torhu slamming the gate shut behind them before the wolves could get through. It then began to rain as the group stopped to catch their breath, before turning to look at the palace that stood before them and the courtyard surrounding it.

One thing they couldn't help but notice was how overrun the whole thing looked. There was a fountain in the centre of the courtyard that looked like it must have been a marvelous spectacle once upon a time, now most of it was in ruins and it seemed like it was centuries since it last worked properly. The garden looked like it would have been a place of much beauty long ago, but now there were little else but weeds. In fact from what they could see, the palace in general seemed to be one of those places that were of great beauty and much grandeur long ago, but many and many a year of neglect had taken it's toll. Now it was nothing more than a decaying shadow of its former self.

"At least we don't have to deal with those wolves any more" said Jade. Jackie gave a small nod before saying "We better head inside. Maybe someone here can help us". The four of them ran to the doors of the palace and knocked upon them. Almost instantly they creaked open and only a couple of seconds afterwards did they cautiously enter the building and step into the foyer. They looked around and saw a massive staircase and several open doorways. In the back of their minds, the group noted that the interior also had a faded beauty element to it. They wasted no time in calling out for help.

"Hello?" Jackie called out. His voice echoed, but no response came.

"Hello?" Torhu called out. His voice also echoed, but there was no reply.

"Oh, those poor guys" whispered a young, male, Brazilian accented voice from somewhere in the palace.

"They must have lost their way in the woods" whispered a female, concern evident in her eastern European accented voice.

"Never would have guessed" responded a second, slightly more whiny, male voice in a sarcastic tone.

"Shh. Keep quiet, maybe they will go away" interjected a third male voice, which seemed rather stern in his delivery despite being younger than any of the others.

As soon as he heard the four voices, Uncle called out "Who said that? Is someone there?"

"Not a word out of you three, not ONE word" hissed the fourth voice.

"Whatever." said the second male voice.

Jade was the next to speak up, saying simply "Look, sorry if we're intruding, but we've been lost for like two days now. Our bus has just crashed and our driver's run off. So we really need a place to stay for the night"

"Come on, Omi. Have a heart." said the first voice.

"We can't just leave them to fend for themselves on a night like this" said the sole female voice.

"It would be most wise to shut up" the fourth voice (apparently named Omi) replied, almost growling at his associates. The next sound that Jade, Jackie, Uncle and Torhu heard was that of teeth biting flesh and an animal roaring in pain.

"Sorry" the female voice said.

"Uh, never mind. You can stay here for as long as you wish!" the first voice greeted.

Jackie, who was at this point getting very annoyed, said as plainly and as loud as he could manage "Seriously, who said that? Who are you?"

"We're over there" said voices one and two in unison.

"Well, where?" he wondered. His question was soon answered when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and was greeted by two figures, both of them looked no older than sixteen years of age. The first was a boy who looked as ghastly pale as any being could possibly get. His short hair was white, his clothes were white and his very presence chilled the four to the bone. The second was a girl, her hair was black with hot pink streaks that matched her eyes, her skin that was a brighter than usual shade of pink and a wide smile graced her features, revealing a prominent pair of canines.

"Heh, heh. Nice to meet you" she said nervously before extending her left hand to Jackie in a gesture of kindness, though that did little to keep him and his companions from letting out a cry of surprise. It wasn't the fact that she was a vampire that was a shock to them, for they had encountered one long ago. But that vampire resembled a decaying corpse and no intentions other their destruction, worlds away from the friendly, cheerful girl that stood before them.

"Nice going, Draculaura. Nice going, Raimundo" said the more whiny of the male voices, "Brilliant, just wonderful". Out of the shadows stepped a rather pale fellow with blood red hair and dark make up around his blood red eyes, clad in a long black coat, black fingerless gloves and steel toed boots. He was followed by a lion cub with a slightly larger-than-average head, both of them looked at the other two with a mixture of annoyance and disappointment.

"We were just trying to help, Jack" replied Raimundo angrily. Draculaura wasn't pleased by Jack's words either, but she settled for glaring at the red headed boy.

The lion cub was the next to speak up, saying as sternly as he could manage "Must I remind you that the master will be most displeased with us when he finds out what you have done. By letting those people in, you have stabbed us all in the leg!"

"I think you mean 'shot us all in the foot', Omi" responded Draculaura.

"Same difference!" said Omi proudly. The only response that could be given to this was for Raimundo to slap himself in the face and for everyone else that was present to roll their eyes. The ghostly boy sighed and said "We've had to put up with this for hundreds of years. Sorry if we scared you guys"

Jade just shrugged her shoulders and said "Eh, it's ok. We've seen plenty of weird things before. So, don't worry about it"

"Yeah, hello" said Jackie. "We were ju-ju-ah-ah-ACHOO!" Jackie then sneezed right in the face of Jack, much to the later's discomfort. Jack simply moaned in disgust as he pulled a handkerchief from his coat pocket and wiped the snot from his face. Jackie did likewise with his own hanky, followed closely by Uncle and Torhu when they sneezed not a second after.

"Oh dear, you four are soaked to the bone. Come, why don't you rest by the fireplace?" Draculaura said as she and Raimundo guided the four lost travellers to the parlour, followed closely by Jack and Omi.

_"Thank you" _muttered Jade, Jackie, Uncle and Torhu in unison. The eight of them made their way to the parlour, blissfully unaware that a shadowy figure with serpentine eyes was watching them.

"No, no, no, NO! You know what he will do if he finds them here!" Jack protested, not that anyone apart from Omi was paying a blind bit of notice to his concerns.

"There is no way that this can end well! I insist that yo-" Omi would have said more, but he stopped once he got to the parlour. It seemed like one of the more cheerful rooms in the palace, mainly due to the warmth and glow generated by the fireplace. But that was the farthest thing from the minds of Jack and Omi, for they were more concerned with the fact that Draculaura and Raimundo were letting the four intruders sit in the ornate armchairs that were in front of the fire. Uncle took off his bag beforehand and made sure it was close to his chair, not wanting the contents to undergo any damage but being too wary of the palace's inhabitants to trust them not to rob him.

"No, no, no, no, NO! Anything but the master's chairs!" Jack exclaimed in panic as the vampire and the ghost ran/floated past him. Omi was not exactly shy about expressing his displeasure, for he placed his paws over his eyes and started chanting "This isn't happening, this isn't happening!" over and over.

Draculaura and Raimundo swiftly returned, the former carrying several blankets and the later had two footstools tucked under each arm. Raimundo went over to the four guests and placed a footstool under the feet of each guest, as Draculaura placed each blanket around the four.

"Ah, what service" Jade said with a smile on her face. Her uncles and her friend were similarly pleased, being satisfied at finally getting a welcome rest from their long journey. Though given what had just happened to them (and all the strange things they had been witness to long before that night), a certain wariness and discomfort was still a present force in the back of their minds.

"All right, that's it. Look, me and the furball are the ones in charge around he-" Jack did not get too finish his sentence, for he and Omi had too step out of the way of an incoming tea cart with three cats sitting on it. The first was an adult female with black fur and red eyes, the second was an adult male with white fur and blue eyes and the third was a female kitten with grey fur and red eyes. The one physical similarity between them was the fact that they all had a mark on their foreheads in the shape of a crescent moon. Their names were Luna, Artemis and Diana.

"Good evenings, sirs and madam, how would you like a nice spot of tea?" Luna offered as Draculaura poured four cups of tea.

"It will warm you up in no time at all" Artemis added.

_"No, no tea... **NO **tea!" _Omi exclaimed with his face in his paws. Draculaura put two lumps of sugar into each cup and gave them to Jade, Jackie, Uncle and Torhu. "Here you go. I hope you like it". Everyone said their thanks as they smiled and drank the tea.

"Hello, little kitty" Torhu said as he tickled Diana's chin, causing the tiny kitten to let out a soft purr. Suddenly, the door to the parlour slams open and a strong gust of wind blew into the room, causing the fireplace to go out. Everyone in the room turned to look at the doorway and widened their eyes in horror.

"Uh oh..." Diana whispered as she huddled against her mother. Fear and panic were palpable emotions in the room that night and if you were present there, you would understand why. In the open doorway was a reptilian creature with bi-pedal movement. His scales were a brownish yellow except for the lighter yellow that marked his belly, his eyes were golden and akin to that of a snake, his arms were bulging with sharp claws sprouting from his hands, five black spines were on his head and a tail sprouted from his back.

As the heylin came into the room while growling in anger, everyone there started shaking nervously.

**"There appears to be a few strangers in here"**the heylin said in a gruff monstrous voice as his eyes narrowed.

"Um, master. Please, just let us explain" Draculaura tried to sound brave in spite of what was going on, but her nervousness shone through all the same. "These poor people were lost in the woods, they were so cold that we ju-" she was cut short when her master roared in her face.

Jack got out of hiding from under the carpet and stepped next to Draculaura and Raimundo, saying "Look, sir. I would like to take this moment to say...It was all their fault, I was trying to stop them!" he pointed accusingly at the two and they in turn glared at him. "But did they listen to me? Noooooooo! They just had to let them in and-" he would have said more, but one sneer and one glare from his master shut him up. Omi was about to say something about the situation himself, but for obvious reasons he quickly decided against it.

The heylin made his way to the red armchairs where Jade, Jackie, Uncle and Torhu were sitting and trying to remain calm. This was far from the first time that they had encountered a monster, but that did little to keep them from being afraid at the sight of a humanoid lizard staring them right in their faces.

**"Who are you?" **the beast demanded. **"More importantly, what are you doing here?"**

"We did not mean to trouble you" Jackie began nervously. "We have been lost in the woods for two days and-"

**"NO EXCUSES! YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE!"**

"We're sorry" Torhu said without taking his eyes of the creature.

**"What are you staring at?"**

"N-N-Nothing" said Jackie, Uncle and Torhu in unison.

**"Is this why you have come, to gawk at the _heylin?_ Have you, have you?"**

Jade, Jackie, Uncle and Torhu frantically ran to the door. But the monster beat them to it, blocking their path. They backed away nervously, not wishing to further incur the wrath of the beast.

Jade decided at that moment to speak up. Heylin or no heylin, it would still be a cruel act to throw a bunch of lost travellers out on a night like this.

"Listen..."

**"Chase Young, the master of this palace"**

"Chase. It's not like we came all this way just to hurt you. We just want some place to stay for the night"

**"That may be, but that does not change the fact that you shouldn't have trespassed here"**

"But we could die out there!" Jade said. "Please, I'll do anything!"

**"Don't delude yourself, there is nothing you can do"**

He went to open the door. Jade thought for a bit before an idea came to mind. She wasn't sure if it would work, but it would have to do. "Wait!" She yelled, prompting the beast to stop and turn to face her. Gathering up her strength, Jade came to a decision and said , "Let the others go. But, take me"

**"You-" **Chase said disdainfully. But then he registered what she had said and for the first time in a long while a glimmer of hope lit up within him. "You would really...take his place?"

"Jade, no!" Jackie said.

"You don't know what you're doing!" Uncle said.

Ignoring them, Jade asked Chase "Well, if I did...would you let them go?"

**"Yes," **Chase said **"but on the condition that you remain here forever."**

Jade thought about this for a bit. She stepped in front of Chase and said calmly, "I'll stay, you have my word."

**"Done!" **Chase said as he stormed past, not noticing her collapsing to her knees. Jackie, Uncle and Torhu went over to plead with her.

"Jade, you can't be serious." Jackie said. "You can't stay here, not with him!"

"You're still young, don't give up the rest of your life on our behalf." added Torhu.

Uncle would have said something himself. But before he could get a chance, he and Jackie were grabbed by Chase who began dragging them away, with Torhu following them closely and Jade crying out to her uncles and her dear friend.

Outside of the palace, Chase 'lead' Jackie, Uncle and Torhu to the courtyard. He held out his clawed hand as an anthropomorphic fox named Sakuyamon handed him a Shen Gong Wu.

"No, please, spare my niece! Please!" pleaded Jackie.

**"She is no longer your concern"** said Chase. **"SILVER MANTA RAY!" **Upon him yelling those words, the small object transformed into a large silver aircraft. He gestured to the other three, wanting them to board the craft as soon as possible. Despite the fear and sorrow that they all felt, they wasted no time in obliging.

Back in the parlour, Jade began to cry as the Silver Manta Ray flew off in the night sky.


	6. A New Home?

**Chapter Five: A New Home:**

Meanwhile, Chase walked to the front door. When he opened it, he was greeted by Raimundo and Draculaura standing in the entryway.

"Um, master?" Raimundo said.

**"What?" **snapped Chase.

"You know, the girl is going to be staying for a very long time. And with that in mind, maybe you might want to give her a more comfortable room," suggested Draculaura. Chase just snarled at the two of them and stormed off, leaving the both of them standing there with nervous smiles on their faces. "Nevermind." they said in unison.

As Chase re-entered the parlour, he caught sight of Jade crying on the floor being comforted by Luna and Artemis. When he saw the young woman in tears, he could not help but feel a twinge of guilt.

As soon as Jade noticed him, she said tearfully, "You could have just let me say goodbye. Now I'll never see them again, never again."

Thinking about what Raimundo and Draculaura said about giving Jade a room and said, **"Come, let me show you to your room."**

Jade looked puzzled for a moment, surprised at the Heylin's sudden offer. "My room, but I thought-"

Looking annoyed, Chase asked **"Would you rather I throw you in the tower?"**

"Well, no" Jade said as she picked herself up.

**"Then follow me."** Chase said.

Not long afterwards, Chase, Raimundo and Draculaura were leading Jade to her new room. As they proceeded, Jade lagged behind and gazed at all the sculptures that were on the wall. They were all hideous in appearance, all scary and the light casting shadows on them only served to intensify that. Jade looked terrified for a brief moment, but she quickly recovered and caught up to the other three. Chase looked back at Jade, whose eyes were closed and who was crying a single tear.

Draculaura tapped Chase on the shoulder, as they both noticed the tear on Jade's cheek , before she whispered to Chase, "Say something to her."

**"Hmm?" **Chase let out a small sigh before he turned to Jade , **"I...trust that this place will be to your liking." **"Thanks" said Jade, though there was little meaning when she said it. The Heylin looked at his two servants for approval, but they both gestured for him to continue. **"The palace is your home," **Chase said, **"so you have my permission to go anywhere you like. Except for the West Wing."**

That caught Jade's attention, as she asked, "What's in the West-"

But Chase cut her off, **"It's forbidden!"**

The Heylin, the ghost and the vampire continued to lead Jade down the hall, before they arrived at a room.

Chase opened the door and Jade went in, as Chase said, **"If you need anything, my servants will attend to you."**

"Dinner," Raimundo whispered to Chase. "Invite her to dinner."

**"I understand that your name is Jade?" **Chase said. Without turning to look at him for a second, Jade nodded. **"You will...join me for dinner."**

"I'm not really hungry." Jade replied.

**"I WASN'T GIVING OUT A REQUEST!" **Chase yelled as he slammed the door shut with Jade standing there in shock. She sat herself down on the bed, let out a deep sigh and began to sing.

_Yeah, I've made the choice_

_I guess that I will stay_

_Still I don't deserve to lose my freedom in this way_

She looked at the door as she said, "You monster!"

_I bet that you think that what you've done is right_

_Well then, you're a fool_

_Think again_

_So this is home?  
This is where I should learn  
To be happy?_

_Never dreamed that a home could be  
Dark and cold  
I was taught every day in my childhood  
Even when we grow old_

_Home will be where the heart is  
Never a word so true  
My heart's far  
Far away  
Home is too_

___So this is_ home?  
_This is _what I must  
Learn to believe in?

_Try to find something good  
In this tragic place  
Just in case  
I should stay here forever  
Held in this empty space_

_Yeah, but that won't be easy  
I know the reason why  
My heart's far  
Far away  
Home's alive_

_What I'd give to return  
To the life that I knew lately  
And to think I complained_

_About that dull provincial town_

_So this is home?  
Am I here for a day  
Or forever?_

_Shut away from the world  
Until who knows when?  
Oh, but then  
As my life has been altered once  
It can change again_

_Build higher walls around me  
Change every lock and key  
Nothing lasts  
Nothing holds all of me_

_My heart's far  
Far away  
__Home and free_

Once Jade was down with her singing, her emotions overwhelmed her. She plopped her face down on the pillow and started to cry her eyes out, as a snow storm started to rage outside.


	7. Dark Ace

**Chapter Six: Dark Ace:**

Back at the village, Dark Ace had gone off to the local pub to lick his wounds after being humiliated. Right now, he was sitting in his favourite chair in front of the fireplace and was far too busy sulking to notice that everyone else was chatting merrily and drinking beer.

"Who does she think she is, standing me up like that?" Dark Ace said, his voice seething with anger. "That girl has tangled with the wrong man! No one says no to the Dark Ace!"

"Ya got that right!" Carl agreed, coming over with two mugs of beer.

Dark Ace wasted no time in snatching the two mugs of beer from Carl, as he said, "Dismissed! Rejected! Knocked down by a child's toy! Publicly humiliated! Why it's far more than I can _bear!_"

He tossed the two mugs into the fireplace, causing a small explosion, and Carl asked, "Want me to get more beer?"

"What's the point?" Dark Ace said despondently, as he turned his chair away from Carl. "Nothing helps. I'm disgraced."

"What are you talking about?" Carl said. "You could never be disgraced. Dark Ace, you've got to pull yourself together." Then he began to sing.

**Carl:**

_It really disturbs me to see you, Dark Ace_

_Looking so down in the dumps_

He tried to get the Dark Ace to smile, but that only resulted in Dark Ace punching him, resulting in him flying towards a table where a few members of the BLU team (_Team Fortress 2)_ were sitting at.

**Carl:**

_Every guy here would love to be you, Dark Ace_

At this, everyone at the table cheered for Dark Ace, who just turned his chair back to the fireplace.

_Even when taking your lumps_

_There's no man in town as admired as you_

_You're everyone's favourite guy_

_Everyone can't help but be inspired by you_

_And it can't be that hard to see why_

Carl turned Dark Ace's chair around to face Bonnie, Mandy and Daphne, who quickly swooned over the object of their desires.

**Carl:**

_No one's slick as Dark Ace_

_No one's quick as Dark Ace_

_No one's neck's as incredibly thick as Dark Ace_

_For there's no one in town half as manly_

_Perfect, a pure paragon_

_Just ask any Scout, Sniper or Demoman_

_And they'll tell you whose team they'd prefer to be on_

Suddenly, the three villagers grabbed Carl by his tiny neck and pulled him away, before they started swinging him around.

**Scout, Sniper, Demoman and Carl:**

_No one's been like Dark Ace_

_A kingpin like Dark Ace_

_No one's got such a perfect chin like Dark Ace_

**Dark Ace:**

_As a specimen_

_I'm quite intimidating_

**Villagers:**

_My, what a guy_

_The Dark Ace_

_Give five hurrahs_

_Give twelve hip-hips_

**Carl:**

_Dark Ace is the best_

_and the rest are just drips_

Carl was so lost in literally singing his hero's praises that ended up spilling his beer in Dark Ace's face. He grinned nervously and tried to hide his mug behind his back, but that did little to prevent him from receiving a punch in the face from Dark Ace.

**Villagers:**

_No one fights like Dark Ace_

_Douses lights like __Dark Ace_

Dark Ace then got into a fight with the BLU Heavy, which ended in the former biting the later's leg.

**Heavy:**

_In a wrestling match_

_Nobody bites like Dark Ace_

**Bonnie, Mandy and Daphne:**

_For there's no one who is quite as brawny_

Dark Ace grabbed his staff and blasted the bench that the three girls were sitting on.

**Dark Ace:**

_As you see, I've got power to spare_

**Carl:**

_Not a bit of him is all that scrawny_

**Dark Ace:**

_That's right!_

_And few can deny that I have the best hair_

**Villagers:**

_No one hits like Dark Ace_

_Matches wits like Dark Ace_

Later, Dark Ace was playing chess with the BLU Engineer. When the former lost to the later, he slapped the board sending it flying.

**Carl:**

_In a spitting match_

_Nobody spits like Dark Ace_

**Dark Ace:**

_I'm especially good at expectorating_

He then took a bit out of a leather belt and then spat it out, prompting a few of the villagers to hold up score cards that all said 10.

**Villagers:**

_10 points for Dark Ace_

**Dark Ace:**

_When I was a lad I ate four dozen eggs_

_Every morning to help my power grow large_

He juggled some eggs and swallowed them. Carl tried to imitate the trick, but the eggs only ended up landing on the cockroach's face.

**Dark Ace:**

_And now that I've grown_

_I eat five dozen eggs_

_So I'm roughly as strong as a barge_

**Villagers: **

_No one shoots like Dark Ace_

_Makes those beauts like Dark Ace_

**Carl:**

_Then goes tromping around_

_Wearing boots like Dark Ace_

Dark Ace sat back in his favourite chair and pointed his left hand towards all the decorations that were on display near the fireplace.

**Dark Ace:**

_I use antlers and more in my decorating_

Scout, Sniper, Heavy and Demoman picked up the chair that the town's idol was sitting in as the ego stroking song reached its climax.

**Ladies: **

_Say it again_

**Gentlemen:**

_Who's a man among men?_

**Ladies:**

_And lets say it once more_

**Gentlemen:**

_Who's the hero next door?_

**All:**

_Who's a super success?_

_Don't you know? Can't you guess?_

_He who makes all the women give chase_

_There's just one guy in town who's never a disgrace_

**Carl:**

_And his name's D-A-R-K-_

_D-A-R-K-E-H-?_

_D-A-R-K-A-C-oh!_

**All:**

_The Dark Ace!_

The four members of the BLU team that were carrying the chair looked like they were ready to drop it. Carl tried to scramble away when he realized that the chair was going to land on him, but to no avail.

Everyone in the pub cheered harder than any of them ever had in their lives. Suddenly, Jackie, Uncle and Torhu ran in through the doors, shouting frantically, "Help! Someone help us!"

"What happened, what are you guys doing here?" said Moe the bartender.

"Please," Jackie said desperately. "Please, we need your help! He's got her locked up in his lair!"

"Who are you guys talking about?" Carl asked.

"Jade!" Uncle said. "And we need to go right now, we have not a moment to lose!"

"Whoa, slow down, you three." said Dark Ace. "Who's got Jade locked up in their lair?"

"The heylin!" Torhu shouted. "That horrible monstrous heylin!"

At this, the villagers could do nothing but burst into laughter.

"Come on, you can't be serious" said Scout, struggling to breath for obvious reasons. "My ma used to tell me and my brothers stories about that thing all the time. You can't be serious!"

Then, Heavy walked over to Jackie, "Was it a big monster?"

"Huge!" Jackie replied.

"With a long, ugly snout?" asked Demoman.

"Hideously ugly," Uncle replied.

"And sharp cruel fangs?" Sniper asked.

"Yes, yes," Torhu said, as he and the other two were shoved towards the Dark Ace and the three of them asked, "Will you help us?"

"Alright." Dark Ace. "Do not worry, we'll help you out!"

"You will?" Jackie said, as some of the villagers picked him, Uncle and Torhu up and started to carrying them to the door. "Oh, thank you, thank you very much!"

However, his gratitude was misplaced. For all that happened was that Jackie, Uncle and Torhu were thrown out into the snow.

"Man, I love those crazy guys." Scout commented as he, Sniper, Heavy and Demoman headed back into the pub.

"Same here, mate." replied Sniper.

"They are always good for a laugh." Added Demoman.

Dark Ace rested his hand on his chin as an intriguing thought crept into his mind.

**Dark Ace:**

_Carl, I'm afraid I've been thinking_

**Carl:**

_A dangerous past time_

**Dark Ace:**

_I know_

_But those three wacky freaks are Jade's family_

_And their sanities are only so-so_

_All the wheels in my head have been turning_

_Since I looked at those three crazy men_

_See, I promised myself that I'd be married to Jade_

_And right now I am forming a plan_

He then started to whisper to Carl, "If I..."

"Yes?" said the cockroach.

"Then we..."

"No, would she really?"

"Guess!"

"Ohhh. Now I get it!"

Both Carl and Dark Ace said, "Well then, let's go!"

**Dark Ace and Carl:**

_No one plots like Dark Ace_

**Dark Ace:**

_Takes cheap shots like Dark Ace_

**Carl:**

_Plans to persecute harmless crackpots like Dark Ace_

**Dark Ace:**

_I am endlessly, wildly resourceful_

**Carl:**

_As down to the depths you descend_

**Dark Ace:**

_I won't be even remotely remorseful_

**Carl:**

_Just as long as you get what you want in the end_

**Dark Ace:**

_Who has brains like Dark Ace?_

**Carl:**

_Who entertains like Dark Ace?_

**Dark Ace and Carl:**

_Who can make up these endless refrains like Dark Ace?_

**All:**

_So, his marriage we soon shall be celebrating_

_My, what a guy_

_The Dark Ace!_

Outside of the pub, Jackie, Uncle and Torhu were wandering helplessly through the snow. They then asked, to no one in particular, "Will no one help us?"


	8. The Rejected Invitation

******Chapter 7: The Rejected Invitation:**

Back at the palace, Jade was still lying on her bed and had finished crying, her golden eyes now a bit red. Suddenly, she heard a knock on the door.

She looked up and asked, "Who is it?"

"It's Luna and Artemis, my dear." replied a posh British voice from behind the door. Jade walked over and opened the door and saw the three cats from earlier, on a tea cart being wheeled in by the vampire girl with the bright pink skin. "We just thought that you might like some tea." said Artemis.

"Thank you." Jade muttered, as she poured herself a cup. Part of it was that she simply did not want to offend her hosts, for a number of reasons. But also she thought that given what she had seen today and what she had seen throughout the course of her life, it was best to fortify herself for whatever was to happen in the future. Not that she really expected to hear a strange noise, nor did she expect to be greeted by the sight of two unicorns appearing out of nowhere when she looked behind her for the source of the sound.

The first unicorn had blue eyes, a purple mane that looked very elegantly styled, white fur and markings that looked like three diamonds on its hindquarters; The second had purple eyes, a purple mane with a reddish-pink streak, lavender fur and its markings were a red-violet star with five smaller white ones near it. Their names were Rarity and Twilight Sparkle.

"Well, that's new." was the only thing that Jade could say in response to this.

"I know it is," Rarity said, as she and Twilight trotted over to the bed. "But here we are!"

As Jade poured some milk and sugar into her cup, Diana asked her parents, "She really is pretty, isn't she?"

Jade took a sip from her cup of tea, as Draculaura told her, "That was a very brave thing you did."

"We all think so," Twilight said.

"I guess so." Jade replied as she took a sip of her tea. "But I've lost my family, my dreams, everything."

"Cheer up, darling," said Luna. "It'll turn out all right in the end. You just wait and see." Then she remembered something. "Oh, look at me, babbling on and on when there's supper to attend to."

"Come on, Diana." said Artemis.

"Bye, Jade." said Diana.

The three cats and the vampire girl turned to leave the room. But just before they left, they decided to sing.

******Artemis:**

___I hope that we'll be friends_

___Though we don't know you well_

******Draculaura**

___If anyone can make the most of living here_

___Then, Jade, it's you_

******Luna**

___And who knows_

___you may find home here too_

As soon as the three cats and the vampire girl left the room, Rarity said "Now darling, what shall we dress you in for dinner? Let's see what we've got in the wardrobe." She turned towards the wardrobe and began to concentrate as a light pink glow surrounded her horn. When she finally managed to open the doors, a swarm of moths fluttered out and she shut the doors while saying "Whoa, dreadfully sorry about that." She opened the right door a tiny bit and feeling relived when nothing came out, she opened it wider and pulled out a bright pink dress with pink pearls along the square neckline and the hemline as she said "Here we are! Not one of my best designs, but I bet you'll look beautiful in this one!"

"Thanks," Jade said, "but I'm not going to dinner."

"Bu-but you must," Rarity said.

Just then, Jack and Omi came in with the later clearing his throat and saying "Dinner...is served."

* * *

Down in the dining room, Chase was pacing about as Raimundo, Draculaura, Luna and Artemis were watching with the later two on the mantelpiece.

"**What could be taking that girl so long?" **Chase said impatiently. **"I told here to come down." **He turned to Raimundo, Draculaura, Luna and Artemis and asked of them **, "Why isn't she here yet?"**

The vampire girl just sighed and said, "Try to be patient. After all, the girl has lost her family and her freedom all in one day."

"Um, master?" Raimundo said. "Perhaps this girl could be the one to break the spell?"

"**I'm not a fool, Raimundo! A similar thought has occurred to me."**

"Great," Raimundo said. "So you fall madly in love with her, she falls madly in love with you and just like that the spell is broken. We'll be human again by midnight!"

"It isn't that easy, Raimundo," Luna said. "These things take time."

"But the panda lily has begun to wilt," Artemis pointed out. "And I've almost forgotten what things were like before the curse"

"**It's no use," **Chase said. **"She's beautiful, and I'm...well, _look _at me!"**

Luna sighed, as she said, "You'll have to help her see past all that."

"**I don't know how," **Chase said.

"For one thing," Draculaura said, "you can start by making yourself more presentable. Straighten up, try to act like a gentleman."

Chase obeyed and straightened his back.

"And when she comes in," Raimundo said, "give her a charming, debonair smile. Come on, show us the smile."

Chase complied, but the smile he gave was not so much "charming and debonair" as "wide and full of razor sharp teeth".

"But don't frighten her," Luna reminded him.

"Impress her with your rapier wit," Artemis said.

"But be gentle," Draculaura added, as Chase looked back and forth between the ghost, the vampire and the two cats.

"Shower her with compliments," Raimundo said.

"But be sincere," Luna added.

Chase was starting to get a headache from all this, as Raimundo added, "And above all..."

He, Draculaura, Luna and Artemis dictated, "You must control your temper!"

Suddenly, the door began to open and Raimundo could not help but say, "Here she is!"

However, any glee that was in the room at that point was misplaced and short lived. For what came through the door was not Jade, but Jack and Omi.

"Hi. Nice evening we're having, isn't it?" Jack said, nervously.

Chase frowned and asked while glaring at the redhead "Well, where is she?"

"Who?" Jack said. "Oh! The girl." He started to get a little nervous, as he said, "Yes, the girl. Well, actually, she's in the process of um...circumstances being what they are..." He gulped nervously, and he would have said more if Omi hadn't said simply "She's not coming."

The room was dead silent for a moment, before Chase screamed loud enough to shatter everyone's eardrums, **"WHAT?"**

He burst through the doors and ran towards Jade's room at breakneck speed with Raimundo, Draculaura, Jack, Omi, Luna and Artemis following close behind, as Jack shouted frantically, "Your grace! **LET'S NOT BE TOO HASTY!"**

Once Chase arrived at Jade's room, he banged his clawed fist on the door three times and said **"I thought I told you to come down to dinner!"**

"Sorry," Jade replied, not that she meant it. "But I'm not hungry."

"**Remember that I am the master of this palace," **Chase said, **"and I am telling you to come down to dinner!"**

"And I'm telling _you _that I'm not hungry." Jade said.

"**You're hungry if I say you're hungry!" **Chase shouted.

Jade said with a scoff, "Don't be ridiculous! You can't go around ordering people to be hungry, it doesn't work like that." Chase was about to say something, but Jade cut him off, as she added in a matter-of-fact tone, "And besides, it's just rude!"

"**Oh,"** Chase said sarcastically, **"is that it? Then how about this? If you don't come down to dinner, I'll break down the door and drag you out myself!"**

Raimundo decided to intervene before the situation got any worse. He floated over to Chase and said, "Look master, I could be wrong, but I don't think that is the best way to win the girl's affections."

"_Please," _Omi said in a pleading tone. "Attempt to be a gentleman!"

"**All well and good, but she is being so _difficult!" _**Chase snapped, before he said to Jade, **"Why must you be so difficult?"**

"And why must you be such a bully?" Jade retorted.

Chase was getting frustrated, as he said, **"Because I want you to come down to dinner!"**

"So you admit you're being a bully." Jade said in a smart ass tone.

The servants could not help but exchange amused looks at one another, with Dracula and Artemis both chuckling.

Chase was just about to break down the door and storm into the room, but Luna stopped him and said, "Remember, gently."

He sighed, before he asked, **"Would you do me the honour of joining me for dinner?"**

"No." was Jade's reply.

Chase looked at his six servants and pointed at the door, as if he was to sarcastically ask someone if they had any more bright ideas.

"Suave, genteel," Jack said.

Chase sighed and tried to act formal, as he bowed at the door and said through gritted teeth, **"It would give me great pleasure if you would join me for dinner tonight."**

"Uh, remember 'please?'" Jack mentioned.

"**Please," **Chase added, with a sigh.

"NO THANK YOU!" Jade snapped.

"**You can't stay in there forever!" **Chase growled.

"Oh yes, I can!" Jade said.

"**Fine!" **Chase said. **"Then you can go ahead and starve!" **He turned to Raimundo, Draculaura, Jack, Omi, Luna and Artemis and said, "**If she doesn't wish to eat with me, then she doesn't eat at all!"**

And with that, he ran to the end of the hall and went through a door leading to his chambers, slamming the door so hard that pieces of debris fell on Jack and Draculaura's heads.

"That could have gone a little better." Artemis said.

"Ya think?" asked Jack as he and the vampire girl rubbed their heads, not even trying to hide the sarcasm in his voice.

"Raimundo, Draculaura," Omi said, "stand watch at the door and inform us at once of even the slightest change."

"You can count on us!" Raimundo and Draculaura said in unison, even taking up guard positions at the door and saluting the lion cub.

"Well, Luna and Artemis," Omi said, as he and the two cats left, "I guess we better go downstairs and clean up."

* * *

Meanwhile in the West Wing, Chase ran into his room and slammed the door behind him. If he was in any way observant at the time, he would have noticed that he had slammed the door with such force that he had made cracks in the wall. But he was too consumed by anger to really care at that point.

"I take it that your attempt to woo the girl was unsuccessful?" said a disembodied voice.

**"Oh no, Guan."** Chase responded sarcastically. ** "The girl refused my invitation and decided that she would much rather stay in her room, so it couldn't have gone better."**

At that point, an animate statue of a monk stepped out of the shadows. "Forgive me for speaking out of turn, Chase. But I believe that the girl was justified in her actions. Her life has changed irrevocably and you have so far done little to make things easier for her. We are running out of time before the curse is permanent and unless you change your behaviour, you will be stuck as a beast."

**"It wasn't like I haven't tried." **Chase said. **"I ask nicely and she refuses!" **He walked over to the table where the panda lily and the Prism of the Seers were kept. **"What else does she want me to do, BEG?" **He grabbed the Prism and demanded "Prism of the Seers, show me the girl!"

The Prism promptly glowed and revealed Jade talking to Twilight and Rarity.

"I know that the master can be temperamental sometimes," Rarity said, "but he's not such a bad fellow underneath those scales. Why don't you give him a chance?"

"Why should I?" Jade snapped. "Did he give Uncle Jackie a chance? And what about Uncle or Torhu?"

"Well, no," Twilight said, "but once you get to know him-"

"You just don't get it, do you?" Jade snapped. "I don't want to get to know him! In fact, I don't want anything to do with him!"

Chase sighed and said, as he set the Prism back on the table, **"I'm just deluding myself. She'll never see me as anything...but a monster."** As a petal fell from the flower and landed on the table, he put his head in his clawed hand and said in despair **"It's hopeless."**

Chase:

_**How long must this go on?**_

_**This cruel trick of fate**_

_**I simply made one careless wrong decision**_

_**And then that witch was gone**_

_**Left me in this sorry state**_

_**An object of much revulsion and derision**_

_**Hated, is there no one**_

_**Who can show me how to win the world's forgiveness?**_

Master Monk Guan ,feeling sympathetic towards his old friend, put a stony hand on the reptilian creature's shoulder as he said "There is still hope, remember what they told you earlier. 'Shower her with compliments, Impress her with your wit and Act like a gentleman.'"

Then Chase had an epiphany, as he said** "Act like a gentleman. Act like a gentle _man!"_**

With that, he left his lair. If he had paused for a moment, he would have noticed that a ghost of a hopeful smile crossed the monk's face.


	9. Put Our Service To The Test

******Chapter 8: Be Our Guest, Put Our Service To The Test:**

Later that night, Jade opened the door to her room and looked out, scanning for any sign of Chase. When there was no sign of him, she walked out of the room and made her way to the kitchen

If you are wondering whatever happened to the ghost and the vampire who were supposed to be keeping a watchful eye on her bedroom door, they basically got bored after a couple of hours. Raimundo went off to the kitchen and Draculaura went behind a curtain to have a lover's tryst with her boyfriend, a werewolf named Clawd.

"Oh no!"

"Oh yes!"

"Oh no!"

"Oh yes, yes, yes!"

From behind the curtain Draculaura and Clawd emerged.

"Alright, Draculaura. Just be careful," Clawd said as he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend. "You have hurt me more than once."

Before the two could kiss each other, the vampire girl spotted Jade out in the hall, heading downstairs towards the kitchen.

_"Lugosi's ghost! She has emerged!" _said Draculaura. She let go of Clawd and ran off after Jade, leaving one bemused boyfriend behind her.

* * *

Down in the palace kitchen, Luna and Artemis guided their kitten to a cat bed made out of a bunch of old rags, as Luna said "Alright now, Diana, into bed now."

Diana yawned, as she lied on the pile of rags and said "But I'm not sleepy."

"Yes you are," Artemis said.

"No, I'm not." Diana said, as she fell asleep.

Near the three cats were two more of the palace's servants. The shorter of the two looked like a young girl made out of fire with her 'hair' done in pigtails and the taller of the two looked like a young man made out of stone and vegetation who wore a cowboy hat. The two of them served as the palace chefs and to say that they were angry would have been a massive understatement.

"I CAN NOT BELIEVE IT! WE PUT IN THAT MUCH WORK AND THE GIRL DOESN'T EVEN SHOW UP!" ranted the girl made out of fire, her entire body a bright shade of blue.

"I'm with you there." said the man made out of the earth. "We worked, we slaved and for what? A fine, tasty dinner, a culinary masterpiece gone to waste!"

"Clay, Kimiko, quit your grousing. It's been a long night for all of us." Luna said, as the two chefs calmed done and Kimiko reverted to an orange colour. But the black cat smiled, as she added "Though I must admit, I admire her spirit."

"If you ask me," Jack said, "That girl was just being stubborn."

"After all, the master at least said 'please.'" Omi commented.

"That may be," said Artemis, while failing to notice Jade come in, "But if the master doesn't learn to control his temper and hold onto his humanity, he'll never break the-"

Jack quickly cut Artemis off, as he said to Jade, "Nice to see you out and about, ma'am. So the first time we met things...did not go well."

"Understatement of the millennium." Jade replied.

Either unaware of or simply not interested in Jade's comment, Jack continued, "But let's start over. I'm Jack and this is Omi. We are the heads of the household." He leaned over with the intention of kissing her hand, but Raimundo and Draculaura butted in front of him and the lion cub, prompting an annoyed Omi to say, "And this is Raimundo and Draculaura."

"Pleasure to meet you," Raimundo said, as he left a ghostly kiss on Jade's hand.

"Hello." said Draculaura as she shook Jade's other.

Jack pushed the two of them aside and said, "Just let us know if there's anything that we can do to make your stay here more comfortable." Feeling a little annoyed at being shoved, Draculaura gave Jack a little punch in the shoulder. Jade could have sworn that she heard a sound like flesh hitting metal at that point, but she decided to brush it aside for now.

Jade thought about it for a moment and said, "Well, I am a little hungry."

Both Artemis and Luna looked excited as they said, "You are?" They then turned to the other servants and Luna said, "Hear that! She's hungry! Stoke up the fire," Clay and Kimiko happily began their task. "Bring out the silver and don't forget the china!"

"Guys, remember what Chase said." Jack whispered under his breath to Artemis and Luna.

"Nonsense," Artemis said. "We're not going to let this girl go hungry!"

"They are correct," Omi said to Jack, in the tone someone uses when resigned to a decision to which they feel death is the only alternative. "Glass of water, a few crusts of bread and then-"

"Omi, you should be ashamed of yourself." Draculaura said. " She's our guest, not our prisoner! We must make her feel welcome here." She and the ghost boy then proceeded to guide Jade to the dining room, as Rai said, "Right this way."

"Just keep it down." Omi said. "If the master finds out about this, it will tumble on our skulls."

"Fall on our heads, chrome dome." Jack said.

"Same difference!" replied Omi. The only response Jack could give to this was to rest his face in his right palm and mutter a few words that this writer refuses to repeat. You can draw your own conclusions as to what those words were.

"Of course, " Raimundo said. "But what is dinner without a little music?"

Draculaura slammed the doors to the dining room in the faces of Jack and Omi, which sent the two of them flying into a large bowl of chocolate pudding, as they shouted in unison _"Music!"_

In the dining room, Jade sat down in a chair at one end of the table, as Raimundo and Draculaura got on the table and a spotlight shone on the two of them.

"Good evening, my friend. It is with the deepest pride and the greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight." said Draculaura.

"And we now invite you to relax and sit back in a chair, as the dining room proudly presents your dinner." said Raimundo.

**Raimundo:**

_Be..our...guest, be our guest_

_Put our service to the test_

_Tie your napkin around your neck, my dear_

_And we'll provide the rest_

A servant who looked like an anthropomorphic squid in a dinner jacket walked over to Jade while holding a napkin in one of his tentacles. He tried to tie it around her neck but she took the napkin of him and put it on her lap, prompting the squid to walk of in a sulk.

**Draculaura:**

_Soup galore, hot hors d'oeuvre_

_Why, we only live to serve_

**Raimundo:**

_Try the grey stuff, it's delicious!_

Draculaura held out a tray of some strange gray pudding. Jade could not help feel some reluctance at first, but then she just decided to try it.

**Draculaura:**

_Just ask the fellows with the dishes_

**Raimundo, Draculaura and Servants:**

_They/we can sing, they/we can dance!_

_They're on par with those in France_

_And the dinner here is never second best_

Another servant hands Jade a menu. She blinked, for the only part of the servant that she saw was a green gloved hand.

**Raimundo:**

_Go on, unfold your menu_

**Draculaura:**

_Take a glance and then_

**Raimundo and Draculaura:**

_You'll be our guest_

_Be our guest, be our guest_

At that moment, a parade of food came before Jade.

**Servants:**

_Beef lo mein, cheese souffle'_

_Pie and pudding en flambe_

In one of the worst examples of bad timing, Jack and Omi popped out of a couple of bowls of pudding just as Raimundo set Omi's on fire, much to Jack's delight and the lion cub's discomfort.

**Raimundo:**

_We'll prepare and serve with flair_

_A culinary cabaret!_

**Draculaura:**

_You're alone and your scared_

_But the banquet's all prepared_

_No one's gloomy or complaining_

**Raimundo:**

_While the folks with the flatware are entertaining_

_We tell jokes, I do tricks_

_With the glowing candlesticks_

**Servants:**

_And it's all in perfect taste_

_That you can bet_

_Come on and lift your glass_

_You've won your own free pass_

_To be our guest_

_Be our guest_

_Be our guest_

**Draculaura:**

_If your stressed, it's fine dining we suggest_

Jack and Omi climbed out of the puddings and frantically tried to calm everyone down. Between the two of them they had hundreds of ideas regarding how this would end, none of them positive.

**Servants:**

_Be our guest_

_Be our guest_

_Be our guest_

Jack and Omi stood on the table with Draculaura and Raimundo as a spotlight shone down on them, leading to the goth boy and the lion cub smiling nervously.

**Raimundo:**

_Life is so unnerving_

_For a servant who is not serving_

Jack and Omi tried to get away, but Draculaura and Raimundo stopped them.

**Draculaura:**

_We are just not whole without even a soul_

_To wait upon_

Draculaura punctuated her last line by doing her best over-the-top impression of a fainting woman. Jack could not help but roll his eyes and mutter "Oh, brother."

**Raimundo:**

_Ah, those good old days when we were useful_

Suddenly, Omi noticed that it was starting to snow. He looked up and saw what looked like two men with big noses and lizard tails spreading fake snow everywhere.

**Draculaura:**

_Sad to say that those good old days are gone_

Jack and Omi just groaned in annoyance.

**Raimundo:**

_Centuries, we have been wasting_

_Needing so much more than dusting_

_Needing exercise and just a chance to use our skills_

Jack and Omi tried to get away from Raimundo and Draculaura, as the vampire maintained a tight grip on the goth boy and the lion cub. They had finally succeded, only to fly into a large plate of jelly.

**Draculaura:**

_Most days we just lay around the palace_

_Flabby, fat and lazy_

_You walked in and oops-see-daisy!_

Draculaura then jumped onto a spoon in the jello, catapulting Jack and Omi out.

**Luna:**

_It's a guest, it's a guest_

_Sakes alive, well, I'll be blessed_

_Wine's been poured and thank the lord_

_I've had the napkins freshly pressed_

**Artemis:**

_With dessert, she'll want tea_

_And my dear, that's just fine with me_

_While we do the cups soft shoeing_

_Tea'll be bubbling_

_It'll be brewing_

**Luna:**

_It'll get warm_**  
**

_Piping hot_

As the two cats were making the tea, Luna noticed a spot on the teapot.

_Heaven's sake, is that a spot?_

_Clean it up, we want the company impressed_

After cleaning the spot from the teapot, Artemis and her got onto the tea cart and headed out of the kitchen.

**Artemis:**

_We've got a lot to do_

_Is it one lump or two_

_For you, our guest_

**Servants:**

_She's our guest_

**Artemis:**

_She's our guest_

**Servants:**

_She's our guest_

"Alright, that's enough!" Jack shouted.

"End this at once!" shouted Omi, only for him and Jack to see a stampede of servants coming towards them, which lead to them running off screaming.

**Servants:**

_Be our guest_

_Be our guest_

_Our command is your request!_

_It's been years since we've had anybody here_

_And we're just obessed!_

_With your meal, with your ease_

_It is true, we aim to please_

_While the candlelight is glowing_

_Let us help you, we'll keep going_

The crowd cleared, revealing Raimundo and Draculaura standing in the centre, both of them wearing bowler hats and holding canes.

**Raimundo and Draculaura (joining in):**

_Course by course, one by one_

_Till you shout, "Enough, I'm done!"_

Jade gasped in awe as a glowing chandelier descended into the room with all the servants doing a chorus line.

**Raimundo, Draculaura and the other servants:**

_Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest_

_Tonight, you'll prop your feet up_

_But for now, let's eat up_

Meanwhile, Jack and Omi stood with the rest of the crowd. They still looked a little worried, but they had started to relax and loosen up a bit, to the point where the two of them started dancing happily.

**Raimundo, Draculaura and the other servants:**

_Be our guest_

_Be our guest_

_Be our guest_

_Please, be our guest!_

The song came to an end and Jack and Omi were still dancing like mad, but then Raimundo and Draculaura pushed them aside in a finishing pose.

Jade had truly enjoyed the show, as she clapped and said, "Bravo! That was amazing!"

"Thank you, thank you," Jack said. "Yes, wasn't that a good show everyone?" He then looked at a nearby clock and said, "Oh, look at the time! Now, it's off to bed with you!"

"But how can you possibly expect me to sleep now," Jade said. "Can't remember a time where I've been in an enchanted palace before!"

"Enchanted?" Jack said, nervously. "Who said anything about it being enchanted?" He then glared at Omi, Raimundo and Draculaura; "It was one of you, wasn't it?" The four of them started fighting.

"Actually, I figured it out for myself," Jade said, making the four servants stop. "You know, I would really like to look around. If it's alright."

"Oh! Would you like a tour?" Draculaura suggested.

"Wait a moment, wait a moment," Omi said. "I'm not sure that will be a good idea." He then whispered to the other servants, "We can't have her looking around anywhere that is forbidden, particularly not you-know-where."

Jade then said to Omi, "Maybe you could take me. I'm sure that you know everything there is to know about this palace."

If it was in anyway possible for a lion to blush, then Omi blushed right there and then. He giggled for a bit before calming down and saying "Yes, I do!"

**_A/N: _**If you are wondering about who are those servants that I had described but left unnamed, they are (in order of appearance) _Squidward _from _Spongbob Squarepants, The Once-ler _from _The Lorax (2012) _and _Frizz & Nug _from a British cartoon show called _The Dreamstone._


	10. The West Wing or A New Perspective

**Chapter 9: The West Wing or Gaining A New Perspective:**

Meanwhile, Chase walked to Jade's room, carrying a tray of food while repeating to himself **"Alright, act like a gentleman. Act like a gentleman."** and feeling considerable more nervous than he had ever been in his long life. He had taken his servants advice into consideration and had decided to try and apologize to Jade. He knocked on the door to her room and called out, **"Jade?"**

At that moment, the girl in question came walking down the hallway with Jack, Omi, Raimundo and Draculaura in tow. Chase hid himself as quickly as he could, as Jack was behaving in a manner befitting of a tour guide at a museum.

"And if you will just note this lovely sculpture of a phoenix, imported from the Fire Nation." he said as the group of five stopped at a golden statue of a phoenix rising from the ashes. "Note the craftsmanship, the attention to detail. Almost as if the bird is alive."

Jack's commentary was far from inaccurate. Whoever was the artisan behind this statue, they had been nothing short of meticulous. From the top of its magnificent crest to its sharp talons, from its ruby eyes to the very last golden feather, it was a fine work of art. But it was covered in a layer of dust and generally did not look like it had been taken care of all that well, giving this otherwise magnificent sculpture an aura of sadness. "Just like everything else in this palace." thought Jade.

Jade gave a slight smile and she said to Jack, "Oh, Jack, it's so beautiful." But then she frowned and added "It would be even better if _he_ wasn't here."

By "he", she was of course referring to Chase. Raimundo and Omi couldn't help but nod in agreement before the group walked off after Jack.

Chase frowned as he emerged from the shadows. He tossed the tray aside as he said **"Act like a gentleman? I'm nothing but a fool."**

And with a heavy heart, he went back to the west wing.

As the group of five walked down another hallway, a thought crossed Jade's mind. She could not help but remember the moment when Draculaura punching Jack resulted in a strange metallic noise. It was obvious that the palace was under some sort of spell, could that have something to do with it?

"Uh, Jack?" said Jade, "Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" Jack replied.

"I've been thinking. This place is under some sort of curse." said Jade.

"Your point being?" Jack said.

"My point being" replied Jade, "That I just want to ask you something. How did the curse effect you."

Jack stopped dead in his tracks, the rest of the group doing likewise. With a sigh, he turned to face the others and undid the clasp on his coat. He took it off and threw it on the floor, revealing a body that was not made of flesh and bone, but of machinery. In place of a skeleton was a crude metal frame that clashed with the more realistic head, hands and feet. There was a metal casing at the chest that looked well cared for, except for a crack that revealed the whirring gears inside. In a voice that sounded both annoyed and embittered, he said "The lady who enchanted this place had a thing for making some of our cursed forms...ironic. I always had a certain skill when it came to machines, so she decided that 'robot Jack' was a good idea. Maintaining this body has been a real pain and lately it seems like no matter what I do, I just keep falling apart. You think that it would get easier to deal with after a few hundred years, but you'd be dead wrong. Ya' happy now?"

Jade blinked as she looked at Jack's robotic form, then her expression shifted from surprise to sympathy as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. What you have been through must have been hard. Hey, it must have even been hard for _him. _Is there any way to break this curse?"

For a moment Jack looked at her, his eyes giving off the appearance of a lost and lonely little boy. He sighed as he picked up his coat and put it back on. "There is a way, but we can't tell anyone. The woman who cursed us said that if we told anyone about how the curse can be broken, the curse is rendered permanent. No cure, no way back, nothing."

"Why would she do that?" Jade said.

Jack just shrugged his shoulders and said "Eh, just one of those dumb laws Enchantresses have."

At that moment, Jade spotted a staircase. She was about to go up it before Raimundo, Draculaura, Jack and Omi ran/floated over and blocked her path.

"What's going on, what's up there?" Jade asked.

"Where? Up there?" Omi said with a nervous smile. "Nothing at all." The ghost and the vampire girl had been shaking their heads until Jack gave them a look and they switched to nodding, as Omi added, "Absolutely nothing of any interest at all in the West Wing, none whatsoever. Just dusty, dull and boring."

"So that's the West Wing," Jade said.

"Nice going, chrome dome." Raimundo said, frowning at Omi.

"Ya know, I wonder what he's hiding up there," Jade said.

"Don't be ridiculous, the master is not hiding anything whatsoever." Draculaura said.

"Then it wouldn't be forbidden," Jade said, as she walked past Raimundo, Draculaura, Omi and Jack; but they quickly dashed up and blocked her again.

"Perhaps you would like to see something else," suggested Jack. "We have tapestries dating all the way back to-"

"Sounds cool, maybe I'll have a look later." Jade said, as she went past the four servants once more.

The four servants did not take long to block her path again, as Draculaura made a suggestion. "What about the gardens or the library?"

That managed to capture Jade's attention, as she asked, "You have a library?"

"Yes," Omi said, relieved that they had found something to take her interest off the West Wing.

"With books," Jack added.

The ghost, the vampire, the robot and the lion cub started to lead Jade away, as Raimundo said, "Gads of books!"

"Mountains of books!" Omi added.

Jade stopped in her tracks and glanced back at the West Wing, her curiosity getting the better of her. She walked back to the stairs, as the four servants made their way arm-in-arm to the library.

"Forests of books," Draculaura said.

"Cascades..." Raimundo said.

"Of books," Jack finished.

"Swamps of books!" said Draculaura.

"Books as far as the eye can see," Omi said with much enthusiasm. "More books than you'll ever be able to read in your entire life! Books on every subject ever studied, by every author who ever set pen to paper..."

Meanwhile, once Jade had gone up the stairs, she wandered down a dark hallway. With every step she felt a slight chill go down her spine. On both of the walls were candle holders shaped like ghastly parodies of human arms and mirrors that had many cracks. She glanced up ahead and spotted a massive closed set of doors with handles that looked like dragons. There was a frightening face on the door that seemed to be warning her, telling her to go back while she still had the chance. For a brief moment she considered turning back, the words of Chase Young still fresh in her mind. But her curiosity was much too strong, so she grabbed the handles and opened the doors.

She opened the right door partway and peered inside. It looked like a disaster had swept through the room and a person would only need a single hand to count the bits of furniture that were not damaged to some degree. Jade smelt the odour of decaying flesh and looked around for the source. She struggled to resist the urge to vomit once she found the source, the festering carcass of a deer.

Jade wandered around the room until she knocked over a table, catching it before it crashed to the floor. The young woman continued to explore the room and examine the broken furniture, until she spotted two things that made her gasp.

The first was a statue of a monk, his face looking very much like someone trying to maintain some kind of serenity despite dealing with a great burden. It was standing next to a massive curtain that was largely intact, but had still been subject to the passage of time. She walked over to it, curious as to whatever could be hiding behind it. She lifted the curtain and was greeted with the sight of a shredded painting of a man with long black hair and golden eyes, wearing a blue robe. Jade examined the painting and realized that that there was something strangely familiar about those eyes, though she could not tell what exactly. "Who are you? Why are you hiding this?"

"Because it pains him." said a voice from inside the room. She looked to her side and saw that the statue had not only come to live, but it was also looking right at her.

"Who are you?"

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Master Monk Guan, an old friend of Chase. That painting you see is a remnant from long ago. Centuries ago he was unkind towards many people, with myself being amongst the precious few who was free from his wrath. I could have done something, anything to quell what was eating at his heart. But my friendship had blinded me and for that even the most innocent amongst the palace's residents are in a prison that they may never be free from."

"So because you failed your master, you're stuck in this wing watching him like some stone sentinel?"

Guan gave a solemn nod.

Before Jade could ask him anymore questions, a peculiar glow appeared at the corner of her eye and she turned around to see what was the matter.

The source of the glow was the enchanted panda lilly underneath its protective jar. Jade slowly walked over to the table it was on and lifted up the jar, eager to touch and curious as to its purpose. Though as we all know, it was curiousity that killed the cat.

"No, don't touch that!" Guan shouted. Jade turned around to ask him what was going on and yelped in surprise at the sight of Chase entering the room. The heylin rushed over to the panda lily and quickly covered it back up with the bell jar. He then turned to Jade and glared at her.

**"Why did you come here?"**

"Look, I'm sorry." Jade said.

**"Did I not inform you that this was the one part of the palace that was strictly forbidden?!"**

"Chase, please listen. The girl did not mean any harm."

"**I did not ask for your opinion, Guan!" **Chase shouted before once more directing his gaze at Jade. **"Do you realize what you could have done?! GET OUT!"**

Jade did not need to be told twice. She quickly made a dash for the door, as Chase ran after her and grabbed her by the sleeve of her jacket, as he yelled at her, **"You have no right to be here, no right!" **as she tried to escape his grasp. But when he yanked on her sleeve again, it ripped and she let out a sob of fear as she fell to the floor. She clutched her ripped sleeve and started crying, then she glared at Chase, who looked at the sleeve he was now holding. It only took a moment for Chase to realize what had happened, as his eyes widened in shock and horror at what he had done to Sophie.

"**Oh no." **was all that Chase could say before he tried to help Jade up.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!" Jade spat through her tears, as she fearfully scrambled away from him. Guan quickly helped Jade up and sent a death glare at Chase, completely enraged at his treatment of Jade, as the heylin tried to apologise. **"No, I-"**

But Jade angrily cut him off, whilst clutching her ripped jacket sleeve, "I've had it, I can't _stay here another minute!" _And with that, she fled from the West, as Chase cried, **"No, don't go! I'm sorry!" **But it was to no avail. Jade had already fled, along with any chance Chase could have had with her.

As soon as she left the room, Guan looked at his old friend in pure anger. "Now look at what you have done! She was our last hope at breaking the curse and you chased her away by acting like a monster!"

"**Don't you think I realise that?!" **He yelled in frustration. He walked away and continued talking, falling further into despair with every step he took and every word he said. **"I didn't mean to frighten her, I didn't mean hurt her! It gets harder every passing day, every passing year, every passing century." **He seemed to be on the verge of tears as he bowed his head and covered his eyes with one clawed hand, before saying, **"There's just so little left of me, so little left." **Then he began to sing.

Chase:

_**And in my twisted face**_

_**There's not the slightest trace**_

_**Of anything that even hints of kindness**_

_**And from my tortured shape**_

_**No comfort, no escape**_

_**I see, but deep within**_

_**There's naught but blindness**_

_**Hopeless, as my dream dies**_

_**As the time flies**_

_**Love's a lost illusion**_

_**Helpless**_

_**Unforgiven**_

_**Cold and driven**_

_**To this sad conclusion**_

He then looked into a broken mirror. He gazed at his fractured reflection and let out a sad sigh.

_**No beauty could move me**_

_**No goodness improve me**_

_**No power on Earth**_

_**If I can't love her**_

_**No passion could reach me**_

_**No lesson could teach me**_

_**How I could have loved her**_

_**And make her love me too**_

_**If I can't love her, then who?**_

Chase then looked over at the painting that Jade had been looking at earlier.

_**Long ago I should have seen**_

_**All the things I could have been**_

_**Careless and unthinking**_

_**I move onward**_

He then went out onto the balcony.

_**No pain could be deeper**_

_**No life could be cheaper**_

_**No point anymore**_

_**If I can't love her**_

_**No spirit could win me**_

_**No hope left within me**_

_**Hope that I could have loved her**_

_**And that she'd set me free**_

_**But it's not to be**_

_**If I can't love her**_

_**Let the world be done with me**_

Downstairs, Jade was running down the staircase, practically tripping over herself in the process. On her way down, she grabbed a nearby leave green cloak and put it on her, as she dashed past a very confused group of servants.

"Wait! Where are you going?" said Jack.

Jade frantically opened the door as she said "I'm leaving. There's no way that I am staying here, promise or no promise."

"Oh no, please wait," Raimundo said.

But Jade left, slamming the door behind her.

Outside, a terrible blizzard was blowing as Jade escaped the -palace on foot, clutching her cloak tightly. As she ran through the woods, she heard the sound of some wild beast and turned around to see what was the matter. She gasped in terror as a pack of wolves emerged from behind the trees, growling at her and eying her up for dinner. Jade ran faster and faster as she was chased by the wolves. She quickly ran side to side, making the wolves hit trees.

She did all she could to escape the wolves, but soon she was surrounded by a whole pack of them. The wolves started to attack her, but Jade grabbed a big stick and started hitting the wolves with it. It took a minute and several knocked out wolves before a large wolf grabbed her stick in their jaws, snapping it in half. Jade screamed "Bad day, bad day" at the top of her lungs, as two wolves knocked her over and another stared tugging at her cloak.

A big wolf was about to jump on her and all she could do was look on in fear, before she braced herself as the wolf leapt...

However, it was caught in mid-jump by Chase, who growled at the wolf and tossed it away, as Jade stared up at him in surprise. He stood protectively over her as the wolves turned their attentions over to Chase. Then he and the wolves began a ferocious battle. All Jade could do was look on in surprise as the fight went on, both sides putting their all into it and no one looking ready to give up anytime soon. The fight ended as quickly as it began when Chase tossed a wolf at a tree, knocking it out. The rest of the wolf pack fled.

Jade just stared at Chase, as he turned to look at her, his eyes simultaneously conveying exhaustion and despair, before he collapsed to the snow covered ground. Jade was about to continue her journey home, but she hesitated. He had just saved her life and she could not leave him to die. She went over to him, covered him with her cloak, picked him up by his left arm and took him back to the palace.

* * *

Back at the palace, Jade poured some hot water provided by Draculaura and Kimiko into a pale blue bowl. She soaked a rag in it, before she looked over to Chase, who was currently trying to lick the wound on his arm the way an animal would.

Jade came over with the rag and said "Here now. Don't do that." Chase growled at her Raimundo, Draculaura, Jack, Omi, Luna, Artemis and Diana backed off nervously. You don't spend centuries in the employ of someone like Chase without becoming savvy to his mood swings.

"Just hold still," Jade said as she tried to clean Chase's arm. As soon as the rag touched the wound, Chase roared in pain, sending Raimundo and the others running back to the shadows in fear.

**"THAT HURT, YOU STUPID GIRL!" **Chase snapped at her.

"Maybe if _someone _tried to hold still," Jade said "it wouldn't hurt as much!"

**"If you hadn't run away, this wouldn't have happened." **Chase said.

"If you haven't frightened me, I wouldn't have run away." Jade retorted.

**"Then **_**you **_**shouldn't have been in the West Wing." **Chase said, allowing himself a smug smile.

"Well, you should learn to control your temper!" Jade snapped. Chase tried to think of a response to this, but nothing came to mind. Raimundo and the others emerged from their hiding places. "Now just hold still, this might sting a little." Jade said.

Chase cringed in pain, as Jade started to dab the wound with the rag, before she paused and said "By the way, thanks for saving my life."

Chase looked at her in surprise. After all he had done to her, here she was thanking him and showing him a little kindness. As she continued dabbing his wound, he said softly "Your welcome."


	11. A Dastardly Plan

**Chapter 10: A Dastardly Plan:**

That night, back at the village, Dark Ace and Carl were sitting at a table in the pub waiting for an important contact. Dark Ace had one hand clutching the handle of a mug of beer with one hand and was impatiently tapping the fingers of his free hand on the table. Carl was reading a copy of the village newspaper that he "borrowed" from someone who worked there, looking bored out of his mind.

Just then, there was a knock upon the door. Carl used his magical abilities to open the door, partly because he was engrossed with what he felt was the only half way interesting article in the newspaper and partly because he felt like being lazy. But both and Dark Ace stopped what they were doing and looked at the doorway, for the contact had arrived. He was a man in his mid to late fifties wearing a white coat, dark grey gloves with matching shoes and glasses that obscured his eyes. He was completely bald with a beard and stood at 5ft 10'. His name was Dr Hugo Strange.

"Look who finally decided to show up." Carl said, irritation oozingout of every word. Strange noticed the tone behind the cockroach's words and frowned, but he thought of the money and his face returned to a neutral expression as he sat down at the table.

"Charming. I don't normally leave ArkhamAsylum this late at night, but they said that you'd make it worth my while." Dark Ace pulled out a bag of money and tossed it in front of the doctor, and he said "I'm listening."

"It's quite simple," Dark Ace said. "I have my heart set on marrying the lovely Jade, but she needs a little... persuasion."

"She's always turning him down, she didn't show up to the wedding and he got hit in the head with a rock." Carl butted in, counting the fingers on his left hand as he went on. All this earned him was Dark Ace slamming his mug of beer on his head.

"Everyone knows that her family's completely nuts. They were in here tonight raving about a monster in a palace."

"The Chans are harmless," said Dr Strange.

"The point is that Jade will do anything to keep them from being locked up," Dark Ace said.

"Even if it means marrying him," added Carl. He would have provided further commentary, but Dark Ace gave him a look that said "If you say anything else, you will regret it."

"So, let me get this straight. You want me to throw Miss Chan's entire family into Arkham unless she agrees to marry you?" Dr Strange said. "I have but one thing to say," With an evil smirk, he added, "When do we start?"

* * *

That night, back at the cottage, Jackie and Uncle were busy packing items in their respective bags while Torhu was handing the keys to the house to the Simpsons. The task ahead of them would not be easy, but they'll soldier on for the sake of Jade.

"I don't know how long it will be until we get Jade back, so take good care of the cottage while we're gone." Torhu said. He turned to the middle child of the Simpson family, a little girl named Lisa who wore a red dress and had blond hair that resembled a pineapple. "If the Dark Ace shows up, tell them we went out shopping. We've made far too many people think that we're insane and we don't want to make things worse."

"Got it." Lisa replied.

Uncle finished packing his bag, as he said "If no one will help us, we'll just have to go alone. I don't care what it takes. We'll find that palace and rescuse Jade from that monster."

With that, Jackie, Uncle and Torhu left the cottage to start their rescue mission. They decided to make the journey on foot, not wanting a repeat of that sad business with Otto. Without anything more than one brief look back, they set off to the woods to find Jade.

Not too long after the group of four had left, Dark Ace and Carl arrived and knocked at the front door. "Jade, Mr Chan, Uncle, Torhu!" they called out in unison. The only response were the Simpsons talking amongst one another behind the door.

"Mom, Dad, Bart! They're here!"

"Oh, great. We have to put up with that idiot with the stupid hair again."

"Shut up, boy! Now just smile and try to act natural."

With that, Marge's husband Homer (a portly, mostly bald thirty-something fellow who wore a white shirt with blue trousers and black shoes) opened the door and the Simpsons acted perfectly natural. Well, if your definition of "perfectly natural" was "stand awkwardly with a fake smile plastered on your face".

"Hello, good sir," Homer said. "What business of yours has brought you to this humble abode?"

Either unaware of or uninterested in the falseness of the older man's smile, Dark Ace said "I wish to speak with Jade. Has she returned home?"

"Uh, no. None of the Chans are here right now." Marge said.

"Oh well, guess it's not going to work after all." Carl turned to leave, but he did not get anywhere before Dark Ace grabbed his cape.

"Why are no members of the Chan household here right now?" said Dark Ace.

"Jade is still somewhere far away. And as for the others, they've gone, um, shopping." Lisa said.

"Yeah, that's right. Shopping for beer, pork chops and other fine products. Certainly not off to that creepy palace in the woods with that scary mon-" He then paused as he realised what he had just said and his family glared at him (even little baby Maggie). "Doh!"

At that moment, Dark Ace grinned in a manner similar to a cat ready to pounce on a mouse. "Really? Then I'm sure the people at Arkham would be more than interested to hear of this."

"Nice going, Homer" said Bart.

"They can't stay away forever. When they return, we'll be ready." Dark Ace than looked at Carl and said to him "Carl, don't leave this house until Jade and her family come home." Carl protested all that he could, but to no avail, as Dark Ace threw Carl inside, slammed the door and walked away.

For a moment the Simpsons looked at one another, both filled with the same sense of worry. Even Homer, who was far from the brightest member of the family (or the brightest person in the village for that matter), knew that disaster was soon to follow. Trying to relieve the tension the only way that she knew how, Marge walked over to Carl, who was sitting on the floor and feeling sorry for himself.

"Would you like some coco, Carl?"

"Sure." Carl mumbled. Marge went off to the kitchen, leaving the cockroach alone with the other members of her family. "How are things with you?"


End file.
